Tablet dispenser



G. VlDO TABLET DISPENSER Feb. 2, 1965 Filed June 11, 1963 a m m H F FINVENTOR. GEORGE V/DO United States Patent 3,168,215 TABLET DISPENSERGeorge Vido, 217 Rose St., Newark, NJ. Filed June 11, 1963, Ser. No.287,149 1 Claim. (Cl. 221-264) This invention relates to a device fordispensing medicinal (tablets.

An object of the invention is the provision of a device having certaindesirable features hereinafter disclosed.

The drawings illustrate the invention, and in these:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the device;

FIG. 2 is an elevation of the front or dispensing side of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are respectively side and top views of a cap for the tubeshown in FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are respectively elevation and top views of a glass tubewhich is a container for the tablets to be dispensed;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are respectively side and plan views of a tablet ejector;

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are respectively bottom plan, front and plan viewsof the base of the device;

FIGS. 13, 14, 15 and 16 are respectively bottom plan, front, back andplan views of a short metal tube which is held by the base and whichitself holds the glass tube of FIGS. 6 and 7 and through which theejector of FIGS. 8 and 9 moves; and

FIGS. 17 and 18 are respectively side and bottom plan views of a plugwhich forms the bottom for the column of tablets.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description, the numeral 20indicates a tubular metal base, which in front is cut down arcnatelyfrom its upper edge to form a lip 21 (FIGS. 1, 11 and 12) which isslanted downwardly and outwardly for the easy ejection of the tablets.

FIGS. 13-16 show the details of a tubular component 24 which is insertedinto the upper part of the base and secured thereto, and into the upperpart of which is inserted and secured a vertical glass tube 26 tocontain and supply the tablets to be dispensed. The tube 26 has a cap27. The lower part of component 24 is cut away on opposite sides,[thereby forming opposed openings 29 and 30, of which the former isnarrower than the latter. An ejector 33 (FIGS. 8 and 9) passeshorizontally through the openings 29 and 30, just over the upper edge ofthe base, and slides on top of an inverted, cup-shaped insert or plug34, which insert closes the bore of component 24 just above the level ofbase 20 and which is secured to the component 24. The ejector comprisesa rear oblong portion 36 and an enlarged fore portion 37. The latterportion has an opening 39 which is vertically circular but which isslanted forwardly and downwardly at its opposed fore and rear sides,making an oval overall opening 40. The portion 36 of the ejector has across groove 42 adjacent to its free end, and there is a vertical hole43 below the groove. A horizontal set screw 45 passes through anaperture 49 in one side or wall of component 24, above the ejector, andpresses against the glass tube 26 to hold the latter to and within saidcomponent. The set screw also serves to hold one end of a looped fiatspring 47 which has an aperture 46 at that "ice end to fit over thescrew and which at its other end is reduced in width to fit intoaperture 43 of the ejector. The looper spring, as attached, is undercompression, and so functions to hold the ejector in the retractedposition shown in FIG. 1, in which position the aperture 39 of theejector is aligned with and under the bore of the glass tube, so thatthe bottom tablet lies in aperture 40 and so is ready to be ejected whenthe ejector is pressed forward against the action of the spring, theexit of the tablet being facilitated by the described oval aperture 40,and by the slanted lip 21 of the base 20, the enlarged portion 37 of theejector prevents the retraction of the ejector through the smalleropening 29.

The form of spring 47, together with the portion 36 of the ejector,serves as a convenient handle for carrying the dispenser, as when thefirst finger is within the loop of the spring, the thumb on top of thesame, and the second finger under portion 36 of the ejector.

What is claimed is:

A tablet dispenser comprising a base, a hollow component fitted into thebase and rising thereabove, a hollow cylindrical container for tabletsfitted into and rising above said component, the component havingopposed apertures positioned above the base, of which apertures one iswider than the other, a horizontally disposed and longitudinallyslidable ejector extending through said apertures, one portion of theejector being wider than the remaining portion and adapted to passthrough the mentioned wider aperture but too wide to pass through thenarrower aperture, said ejector having an oval aperture therethroughaligned with and under the bore of said tablet container and adapted toreceive the lowest tablet of a vertical series of tablets, the[tablet-receiving aperture in the ejector slanted downwardly andforwardly at its opposed front and rear sides to facilitate the ejectionof a tablet, and the base having [a forwardly and downwardly slantedconcave lip :to receive an ejected tablet, a plug at the bottom of saidcomponent below said ejector to guide an ejected tablet to said lip andto form a base for tablets in said tablet receiving aperture whenaligned with the bore of the tablet container, holding means in the wallof said component and pressing against the tablet container to rnaintainthe lower end of the container above the ejector, a handle in the formof a flat, bowed spring above the ejector and aligned therewith, theinner end of said flat spring being connected to said holding means andthe outer end of the spring inserted into the outer end portion of theejector.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 541,124 6/95Sackwitz et al. 221-264 744,627 11/03 Schick 221264 1,495,217 5/24Alexander 221-264 1,758,999 5/30 Oarns 222-361 1,916,757 7/33 Flach221-271 X 2,434,993 1/48 Dwyer 221-264 2,553,509 5/51 Altorfer 2223612,630,245 3/53 Maier 221-264 RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner. LOUIS I.DEMBO, Examiner.

